What’s with Magnus Carlsen these days? His results so far in the Pearl Spring tournament (Nanjing) show that maybe Kasparov had a real influence during their earlier meeting. Is Magnus about to take over the top spot in chess (with Kasparov’s help) or is his performance lately a fluke?
It’s really nice watching Carlsen develop into a fantastic world-class chess player…I hope that he continues to play well and can become World Champion someday.
Carlsen is unofficial #2 in world right now at 2791-ish. Not sure how he would do in a match vs. Kramnik or Anand, but he would be a very difficult opponent for Topalov right now.
According to the Rating Estimator on the USCF site, Carlsen’s performance rating in the first five rounds is 3145 (!!!) That is comparable to estimated ratings of the top computer programs.
The December 25, 2009 issue of “Time” magazine includes a Q&A interview:
“Magnus Carlsen: The 19-Year-Old King of Chess”
time.com/time/world/article/ … =rss-world
Calson was a very good GM before Kasparov started to coach him. But now that Kasparov is coaching him, he’s on a real study schedule.
I’m sure he studied a lot before he met Kasparov, but Kasparov upped the amount of time Carlson spends actually studying, and brings a much more structure to Carlson’s studying.
Here’s Carlson’s Quote. [courtesy of ChessBase.com]
Carlsen: I am constantly in touch with Kasparov
19.11.2009 – “Until recently I was a schoolboy,” says a candid Magnus Carlsen, “I am not very accustomed to rigid, hard and painstaking work. Only by working with Garry Kasparov have I become aware of just how important it is.” The 18-year-old winner of the 2009 World Blitz Championship, and the inofficial world number one player, gives credit where it’s due in this Vremya (Time) interview.